Author: Scott Albright

There are three constitutional amendment proposals New Mexico voters get to decide on during this year’s midterm elections. Constitutional Amendment 1 asks voters if they are for or against amending Article 12, Section 7 of the state constitution to provide additional annual distributions of the Permanent School Fund for enhanced instruction for students at risk of failure, extending the school year, teacher compensation and early childhood education. The New Mexico Legislative Council Service provides a summary of and arguments for and against the amendments, made available in an online .pdf document. The following is a snapshot of the summary and…

It may be hard to believe, but that eighth grader will soon be a freshman in high school. Not sure what to expect? Then head over to Desert Ridge Middle School to get information about the transition. The middle school is hosting a La Cueva High School Community Showcase from 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, to help parents and students learn what their next phase in school will be like. The showcase isn’t just for eighth graders moving on to La Cueva. Kindergarten, fifth to sixth grade and eighth to ninth grade transition information will be presented at the showcase.…

New Mexico’s beautiful fall weather is here. It’s warm and sunny during the day with brisk, cool air in the evenings and a slight chill at night. The wonderful weather will stick around over the weekend, making it the perfect time to get out and enjoy these fun events happening around the far Northeast Heights of Albuquerque: 1. Take advantage of the nice weather and get some outdoor exercise with The Albuquerque Hiking and Outdoor Meetup group. On Thursday, Oct. 20, the group will hike up Pino Trail for 2.75 miles before heading back down during the evening cardio hike…

Roadwork scheduled along San Pedro Drive between Carmel Avenue and Alameda Boulevard is being planned to help reduce crash rates, improve pavement, lighting and drainage deficiencies and improve safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. The San Pedro corridor currently has gravel shoulders with limited space and is a one-lane road each way. Cyclists must ride among vehicles for this stretch of road, and there are no sidewalks for pedestrians. Residents affected by the upcoming roadwork, and the general public, are invited to discuss the planned changes Wednesday, Nov. 2, via Microsoft Teams. The meeting is scheduled to take place at…

A Tai Chi Gung class being offered at the North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center promises to deliver many benefits to students. Rosemary Maguire, who is teaching the class, said she not only sleeps better after practicing the ancient art form, but her vision has improved as well. “There are many benefits from practicing Tai Chi Gung,” Maguire said. Classes will take place at 12:30 p.m. Mondays in Classroom 4, with the first class free. Maguire said she is learning from an online course provided by Lama Rasaji at rasaji.com. According to the website, Rasaji “is one of only 12 Master…

Madison Magic are the Albuquerque Public Schools Group 3 volleyball champions. The middle school’s A team finished its season with an 11-0 record after defeating Tony Hillerman Thunder on Saturday, Oct. 15. They won two straight sets against the Thunder — 25-14, 25-10 — during the weekend tournament at Atrisco Heritage Academy High School. Madison beat Jefferson and James Monroe prior to the championship rematch against Tony Hillerman. “The Group 3 division is considered the most competitive of the three groups in the city of Albuquerque,” head coach Michael Gallegos said. “The Madison girls saved their best match for last.…

Gas prices continue to fall across the metro and the country, with the national average at $3.85 as of Wednesday afternoon. Georgia has some of the cheapest gas at $3.25 a gallon and California the most expensive at $5.94. New Mexico was averaging just below $3.73 a gallon, according to AAA data. In Albuquerque, the average price of regular unleaded fell by 14 cents since last week, now at $3.66 a gallon. Here’s a look at prices from select stations around the far Northeast Heights: The Smith’s Fuel Center at 7521 Holly Ave. was $3.62 a gallon for regular unleaded…

Madison Middle School is looking for volunteers to help chaperone the upcoming fall dance and sell food items at the event. “This dance not only provides our students the opportunity to enjoy a social event, it also is our first PTO (parent/teacher organization) fundraiser,” principal Tammy Crespin wrote in an email. Students can dress up for the Oct. 28 Halloween-themed dance, but no weapons or gory costumes are allowed. The dance will take place from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the school gym. To volunteer, parents and guardians must complete and pass a background check. To learn more about how to become…

It’s that time of year when voters get to decide which judges deserve to keep their jobs. This year’s election includes judicial retention questions for a justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court, a judge of the court of appeals and seven metropolitan court judges. The Judicial Performance Evaluation Commission, which was created by the Supreme Court of New Mexico to improve the performance of judges and provide information for voters, offers recommendations for the seven metropolitan court judges and supreme court justice on the ballot. The JPEC recommends retaining all seven metro judges and Supreme Court Justice Michael E.…

It’s spooky season, but student loans just got a little less scary. The federal government is now accepting applications for student loan debt relief for up to $20,000 for those with a Federal Pell Grant and up to $10,000 for those with other types of federal student loans.On Monday, President Joe Biden tweeted on his personal account, “We’re bringing relief to millions of borrowers who need it most. The application to apply for student debt relief is now open. Apply today: StudentAid.gov/DebtRelief”On the official @POTUS account Biden tweeted:“Folks, apply for student loan debt relief today.No forms.No special log-in.It’s available in…